Novel Vol 12 Ch 14 (Aoi nursing Ōdanna-sama)

We may never have this chapter adopted into manga or even into S2 of the anime... so we may never get a visual. However, this scene above does remind me of Ōdanna-sama having no issues being henpecked (and doted) by Aoi...

Omatase! Happy to let you know that I finally finished translating Vol 12 Ch 14 (and by late July as promised!). This chapter is special to me because this is where Aoi was taking care of Ōdanna-sama, who caught a cold, thus was bedridden. After this chapter, I will resume translating Vol 7 Ch 6. There’s an intermezzo about Byakuya after Vol 7 Ch 6, so I really need to finish Vol 7 Ch 6 before translating Byakuya (which is one of my favourite characters!). I do need a few months to finish Vol 7 Ch 6 because I have a … sewing project to do… but fingers crossed by late September I can post Vol 7 Ch 6.

After some conversations with Rolypolyredbeanbun, I decided to change my translation style from present tense to past tense. Before this chapter, I would translate the sentences with present tense in mind. However, after talking with Rolypoly, I realised that Japanese novels are usually written like you are live-reporting a dream (hence present or present continuous tenses). Instead, novels in English are usually written as if we are reporting a dream that we saw earlier (thus past or past continuous tenses). Do let me know which style you like better; for me, it’s the same… and I actually like the Japanese style a bit better. 

Please refrain from posting my translations elsewhere. If you need to quote it, please acknowledge my site for the quote, because translating from Japanese hardcopy texts to English is a really hard work...

I will delete this translation when there is an indication that the novel will be translated into English and I will replace it with the summary of the chapter.  Meanwhile, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I enjoy translating it. 

Vol 12 Ch 14. Aoi nursing Ōdanna-sama

P156

My name is Tsubaki Aoi. 

This story happened in one late autumn when I was back in Utsushiyo, returning to resume my undergraduate degree. 

During a long weekend, I was going to the usual Shinto temple that I would use to return to Tenjin-ya. However, to my utter surprise, the one waiting to pick me up at the gate was not Ōdanna-sama. Instead, it was Ginji-san.

“Aoi-san, we’ve got a problem!” Flustered, Ginji-san was beside himself. 

“What’s happening? Something happened to Tenjin-ya?”

“Uh… Ōdanna-sama, Ōdanna-sama… he got ill and is now bed-ridden!!”

“What?? Whaaaaaaattt?!”

The silent temple, which until that moment was disturbed only by a gust of cold wintry wind, was suddenly assaulted by my loud voice. 

P157

“What?? Ōdanna-sama is ill?! What kind of illness??”

“Calm down, Aoi-san”. 

Although Ginji-san was originally in a panic state, seeing me becoming as panic as him, he ended up asking me to calm down.

“First, please rest assured that, although Ōdanna-sama is ill, it seems he’s just suffering from the typical cold that ayakashi would have. Therefore, he’ll get better in two or three days. However, to avoid infection, we ayakashi cannot go near him. Ōdanna-sama has to stay put in his room where no one can enter.”

“In other words, no one can attend to Ōdanna-sama?”

“That’s right. He’s delirious with fever, he’s coughing all the way. However, he’s suffering alone by himself.”

Saying nothing, I went completely pale. 

Even if it's just a cold, but it could be a serious problem if it takes a turn for the worse. Therefore, at times like this, you’d want someone to be by your side. It’s painful just to endure suffering by yourself. He should also eat something to nourish his body and psychic power…

“However, humans won’t get infected by this disease. That’s why I’m consulting this with you, Aoi-san.” 

“Ah, I get it. To sum up, you’d like me to take care of him, right.”

P158

“Yes, you guessed right. Ōdanna-sama feels so awful that he got a cold just as you’re coming home to Tenjin-ya. He is so ill that he can barely swallow his food. However, he said that he might be able to eat the homemade meals made by his dear wife.”

“Eh? What’s this. Ōdanna-sama might actually be alright for all we know.”

“N-no! Really, he looks exceedingly sick!”

Ginji-san was tearful as he recalled how Ōdanna-sama was suffering from illness. Then, looking at me at a glance, Ginji-san said, “Please take care of Ōdanna-sama.”

“For sure!” I nodded wholeheartedly.

Afterwards, as I arrived in Tenjin-ya, I went straight to the Moonflower’s kitchen and prepared something that Ōdanna-sama might be able to eat.

“Ōdanna-sama, Ōdanna-sama, how are you doing?”

Carrying a tenugui towel and a cypress bucket full of ice water, I called Ōdanna-sama through the fusuma sliding screen. After a while, with a weak voice, Ōdanna-sama replied, “Is that you, Aoi… welcome back…”. Then, a violent string of coughs followed suit.

P159

He seemed to be really ill…

“Ōdanna-sama, since I’m a human, I won’t get infected by your cold. I’m coming in, okay?”

Then, I gingerly slid the fusuma screen open and entered Ōdanna-sama’s room.

In the dark room, several oni fire were wandering around. I can see Ōdanna-sama’s sleeping figure on a big futon in the middle of the room. He looked so weak and miserable; coughing all the way, his face red, his breathing heavy. 

“Aoi… so sorry that I am so sick like this…”

“No… don’t worry about it, Ōdanna-sama. However, I was very surprised when I heard that your cold was getting worse^.”

I placed the cypress bucket next to Ōdanna-sama’s pillow. I soaked the tenugui in the ice water and wrung it tightly before using it to wipe his forehead. 

Oh… Ōdanna-sama’s forehead was burning.

Upon learning how high his fever was, I became more and more agitated. 

I soaked the tenugui in the ice water once more. It’s certainly difficult to lower an ayakashi’s fever unless ice water is used.

Aoi got the knowledge of how to treat ayakashi's illness from this book (anime Ep 4)

“It’s easy to catch cold when the season is changing, so you should really take care, you know. … How are you feeling now?”

P160

“I am feeling… wretched. Because, because I wanted to pick you up, Aoi…!”

“Ah, that.”

I was astonished to see Ōdanna-sama crying in desperation, such that I ended up laughing. At least his usual traits were still there. 

“You need to sleep when you’re sick, okay? If you’re moving too much and your cold gets worse, we’re in trouble. You’re not that young anymore, Ōdanna-sama.”

“So you’re telling me that I’m old, Aoi – ”  Ōdanna-sama finished his sentence with another coughing fit.

“What are you talking about. If you can talk that much, you should be fine, eh. Do you want to eat something?”

“Of course. I’m famished.”

“Wait. That face – it seems you’ve been waiting for me to say it. Are you really sick?”

Ōdanna-sama replied with a volley of coughs.

“… alright then. I’ll make something nice to eat.”

Once again, I dip the tenugui into the ice water, squeezed the towel hard and placed it on Ōdanna-sama’s forehead. Then, 

“Wait a moment, okay.”

Having said that, I left the room.

P161

About twenty minutes later…

“Ōdanna-sama, are you awake?”

Once again I came into Ōdanna-sama’s room, holding a tray with a small donabe, a Japanese clay pot, on it. Ōdanna-sama was buried neck-deep in his futon, still red-faced, still having coughing fits. 

“… something smells delicious…”

“I made some egg congee. Want some?”

“What, egg congee?!”

Ōdanna-sama getting excited about egg congee would be similar to this scene... albeit he was red-faced and coughing violently...

Though up until then he was laying weakly covered in his futon, Ōdanna-sama suddenly tossed the futon blanket away, his face glowing in excitement. And perhaps because of this excitement, he was coughing again violently.

“Wa-wait, are you okay?!”

“Yeah… sorry, I’m okay now.”

And then, leaning on me, Ōdanna-sama slowly got up. Since I never saw him this weak, I was again assaulted with concerns. He then complained that he might die if he didn’t eat something soon.

I can’t blame him... 

P162

After all, he was having a bad cold. 

I opened the donabe lid and the aroma of chicken soup wafted in the air. 

Earlier, I made the congee simply by putting rice into the chicken soup and stirred in the beaten eggs. Then I served the congee on a plate and sprinkled it with chopped green onion.

“Smells good. It seems I’m super hungry. That’s only natural. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday…”

While he was mumbling those words, I used a spoon to scoop some congee and blew on it several times to cool it down. 

“It’s just a simple congee, but it’s hot, so be careful. Now – say 'aaaah'...” 

Once the congee was cool enough, I asked Ōdanna-sama to open his mouth before spoon-feeding him the congee. He slowly opened his mouth, took a bite, and munched it. Since he wanted more, I gave him another spoonful, which he took and munched.

Then, something strange that I couldn’t comprehend was happening.

For some reasons, my chest was pounding as I watched the fragile Ōdanna-sama eating my congee.

No, I felt like my chest was throbbing as I watched Ōdanna-sama in pain, suffering from his cold. As if he was a small child who needed to be protected.

P163

Speaking of which, I have received so many favours from Ōdanna-sama. Yet, I hardly ever repay his kindness until now^. 

“Thanks a lot, Aoi. That was really delicious.”

“Ah… you’ve finished it! So, now it’s time for the medicine. Shizuna-chan made it for you.”

I rushed to give Ōdanna-sama the medicine that Ginji-san has prepared earlier. Ōdanna-sama then gulped down the powder medicine with water. He later made a face, so the medicine might have been a bitter one. However, he later heaved a sigh of relief and laid back on his futon. 

“Are you okay, Ōdanna-sama?”

“I’m good. Don’t be so concerned, Aoi. I’ve eaten your homemade meal and also drank the medicine. I’ll take a short nap and I should be better soon.” 

Upon seeing how worried I was, Ōdanna-sama reached out to touch my cheek. 

(from anime ep 7)

(from anime ep 7)

Ah, his hand was hot. 

Although he didn’t show it, he must have been in a tremendous pain. 

“Oh yes, Aoi. You know, I heard that people get better soon when their beloved kiss them.”

“Excuse me? I feel that it wasn’t how you should interpret that hearsay…”

P164

However, if it really helped him get better…

Bashfully, I held his face and – after battling various internal doubts inside my head – I …

I gently kissed Ōdanna-sama’s forehead^.

“I’ve reached my limit here, Ōdanna-sama.”

This whole situation made me melt away helplessly*. I’m sure that I would look scarlet-red in that instance.

Ōdanna-sama laughed. “You’re such a shy person that it’s so cute, Aoi!”

“Oh, gimme a break! Gimme a break!”

“Thanks to you, I can sleep soundly now… Good night, Aoi.” 

And then, just like that… he drifted to sleep. 

What’s up with this guy. So cool and composed, not disturbed at all in the slightest. On the other hand, I was completely beetroot-red…!

“I guess it can’t be helped… We have been living such different lifetimes.”

As per usual, between the two of us, I was the only one who was totally at the other’s mercy, my feelings being trifled with. Slightly frustrated, I once again placed the ice-cold tenugui towel on his forehead.

“Good night, Ōdanna-sama. Please get well soon.” 

-xxx-

Translation notes

Following Kakuriyo Translation & Fan Translator By Choice, I put the page numbers of the original novel volumes (the Japanese version) in the translation to enable any readers who can read Japanese and have the books to examine the related pages. If the last sentence of a page goes over the next page, I will put a combined page number as an indication. 

These days, I use mainly Jisho.org for Kanji, plus the Imiwa app for whenever I’m offline and cannot access Jisho.org (usually mid-flights). The built-in Mac Japanese-English dictionary is also very useful for kanji meaning. These days, I can read the JP script pretty quickly to understand the content. However, whenever I got stuck, I use Google Translator to have a rough guess of the meaning of phrases, but then I would rewrite it in my own way.

I like using the “Japanese the Manga Way” by Wayne P. Lammers. Sometimes I use The Jaded Network for SFX effect translations, but these days I can glean the meaning from the onomatopoeia. Seigo Nakao’s “Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary” has proven to be very useful as a companion to Jisho.org. To assist with grammar, I also use Naoko Chino’s “All About Particles”, Kakuko Shoji’s “Japanese Core Words and Phrases”, Kakuko Shoji’s “Common Japanese Collocations”, Kakuko Shoji’s “Basic Connections” and Kamiya Taeko’s “Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication”.

Specific translation note:

P159: ^ Since Ginji-san didn’t report that Ōdanna-sama’s cold was getting worse when the former met Aoi at the temple gate, it seems, upon arriving in Tenjin-ya, someone else told Aoi that Ōdanna-sama’s cold was actually getting worse. 

P163: ^ Well, actually, Aoi’s actions leading up to Ōdanna-sama’s liberation in Vol 10 were very significant… plus her feeding him with her own psychic power (via her meals) are also very important. However, I definitely gets what she meant. Ōdanna-sama is like the sun, always giving, always caring… that it’s easy to feel like she never gave him anything back in return.

*The JP version is なんかちょっと意味が違う気がするんだけど and Google translated it as “I feel like the meaning is a little different”. However, I chose to elaborate it a bit.

P164: ^ Maji de! Aoi, it’s just a kiss! You should’ve kissed him on the mouth, fair and square, virus be damned!

*Oh, does it mean that we could’ve actually gotten a PG17?!